Champagne Tsarine L.I.D

At A Glance

Field: Detail
Region: Champagne, Reims region
Producer: Maison Chanoine Frères
Main grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier
Range: Brut, Rosé, Extra Brut, Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru
Defining feature: Brand launched by Philippe Baijot and continued by his son

The Producer

Philippe Baijot launched Champagne Tsarine in 1996 and later passed the reins to his son. The brand is produced by Maison Chanoine Frères, a Champagne house based in the Reims region.

Maison Chanoine Frères was founded in 1730 and acquired by the Lanson BCC group in 1991. Isabelle Tellier became Tsarine's head winemaker in 2001, notably one of the first women to hold that position in a Champagne house.

Place

Maison Chanoine Frères is based in the Reims region of Champagne. Champagne's traditional method gives the wines their sparkling form through a second fermentation in bottle, followed by time on lees. Lees ageing can soften the mousse and add bread and cream notes.

The labels mark different Champagne categories. Brut and Extra Brut refer to dosage levels, Rosé to colour, Blanc de Blancs to white grapes, and Grand Cru to the highest village classification.

Wines

Tsarine Brut is the three grape cuvée, combining 34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 33% Meunier. Its dosage is 8 g/l, the sugar added after disgorgement to balance the finished sparkling wine.

Tsarine Rosé uses 34% Chardonnay, 33% Meunier and 33% Pinot Noir, mainly from the Riceys vineyards. It has a deeply intense ruby pink colour, with strawberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants in the fruit profile.

Tsarine Extra Brut provides the lower dosage style in the range. Tsarine Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru narrows the label to a white grape cuvée with Grand Cru classification. Its aromas include lime blossom, hawthorn, candied lemon and subtle roasting notes.

A Bottle To Understand It

Choose Tsarine Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru. The 2018 vintage spent five years in the cellar, followed by a minimum 6 month rest after disgorgement. Disgorgement removes the lees from the bottle before final dosage, while the later rest allows the wine to settle before release.

This bottle combines a vintage, a white grape style and Grand Cru classification in one label, setting it apart from the Brut, Rosé and Extra Brut cuvées.

Final Word

Champagne Tsarine brings together a three grape Brut, a Riceys based Rosé, an Extra Brut and a Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru under Maison Chanoine Frères.

At A Glance

The Producer

Place

Wines

A Bottle To Understand It

Final Word

Sources

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